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BOHR International Journal of Financial Market and Corporate Finance
2021, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 1–5
Copyright © 2021 BOHR Publishers
https://doi.org/10.54646/bijfmcf.001
www.bohrpub.com
To Assess the Main Drawbacks of Advanced Technology
for the Accounting Sphere
Teresia Nande and Nikodemus Angula
Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences, University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia
E-mail: ternande.tn@gmail.com; chcangula@gmail.com
Abstract. Every accountant knows that accounting is a business language and that language has undergone many
changes over the years. Dissemination in the use of information technology and the production of applications has
contributed to intense shifts in accounting firms’ Procedures as of the 1990s. From the view of accounting experts,
the influence of these advances has not been adequately analysed. The general purpose of this study was there-
fore to determine the effect of technological progress on the accounting sphere in Namibia. A descriptive survey
design was used to in this study, to establish whether there exists any relationship between advanced technology
and Accounting today. The results indicate that the accelerated speed of technological progress tends to challenge
conventional processes in all fields, including the accounting profession. The study also revealed that businesses
have not only embraced the revolution of advanced technology, but have also started to adopt emerging inno-
vations in the form of accounting software, mobility and the creation of social media platforms. With a figure of
less than 50% IT-enabled use, it is obvious that accounting students and accountants do not know how to run
accounting information systems, while companies continually rely on technological advancements to conduct their
tasks.
Keywords: Asses, Main drawbacks, Advanced technology, Accounting sphere.
1 Introduction
Web and cloud-based digital tools are reshaping vari-
ous aspects of business and education: from the way we
finance, operate and expand new and emerging businesses
to the way we create, purchase and deliver products and
services. It was recommended that the structural ability
of the university be improved to adapt technology and
innovation to its own development, as well as to ensure
the training of other people in higher education and voca-
tional schools. As well as elevated scale-up of successful
projects to be a key priority, optimizing productivity and
improving the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of tech-
nology and creativity adapted to growth problems. They
have found that the static focus of the CPA exam cre-
ates a mismatch between the supply and demand of the
necessary talents. Students graduating from traditional
accounting programs usually do not have the knowledge
and skills required by employers and this is especially
true of workplaces with high level adoption of automation.
Therefore, a modern approach to teaching approaches and
instruction in accounting education suited to the younger
generation characteristics is also required and desperately
needed.
2 Problem Statement
The rapid pace of technological change continues to
disrupt traditional procedures in all spheres, including
the accounting profession (Stimpson, 2018). According to
Cavanagh and Moretti (2016) Accountants in the field of
practice and accounting are part of the linked community.
It is changing the ways in which they interact and collabo-
rate with, and form new working habits in, the companies
they work with and for. This offers accountants the abil-
ity to simplify and de-skill time-consuming and repetitive
work and to concentrate on higher value work so that they
can improve their position as finance and business advi-
sors (Anonymous 2001). New technologies are spreading
rapidly and are affecting the Namibian economy in ref-
erence to regional and local development (Shaanika and
Iyamu 2015).
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2 Teresia Nande and Nikodemus Angula
3 Aims and Objectives
Main Objective of the study was to determine the impact of
advanced technology on the Namibian Accounting sphere,
mainly focusing on UNAM, BDO Namibia and Synergies
Accounting.
The specific objectives of study were as follows:
• To investigate new technologies and then assessing
their implications for finance professionals and those
they serve and support in Namibia.
• To determine to what extend information about tech-
nologies and trends as they evolve can contribute to
minimizing the burdens and maximizing the benefits
of advanced technology in the academic community
(UNAM).
• To explore the trend of advanced technology in
Namibia.
4 Methodology
Target population of this research was purely based on
registered accountants and the academic community. The
research will not cover the whole accounting sphere of
Namibia, but will focus on two specific entities and one
university from the academic community, University of
Namibia, BDO Namibia and Synergies Accounting. It con-
sisted of 10 graduates from the University and 4 Accoun-
tants from the firms. Structured questionnaires were used
to collect data, as they required a lower cognitive load on
the respondent. They minimized the amount of thinking
that the respondent required to do to accomplish the task
and made it easier for the researcher to code and interpret
the data.
5 Literature Review
Literature review covered the topics of mobility, security,
accounting education and accounting software.
â Mobility
Accountants use mobile technology to drive productivity
and performance improvements, get companies closer to
their customers and remain connected to them, whether
they are in the office or on the road. As there are many
benefits of having mobility supports, but as it is said the
stick has two sides, this means that mobility aids can have
some disadvantages. On the other hand, the evolution of
advanced technology has drawbacks, for example in terms
of reliance on emerging technology. Man doesn’t need to
worry any more. And if the calculator is a decent invention,
man no longer makes a mental estimate, and his mind no
longer works. The loss in human resources suggests a rise
in unemployment. Devices may replace the human mind
in certain areas. In addition the greatest challenge a stu-
dent can face when shopping for a mobility device is its
price, mobility devices are pricey, and insurance providers
do not pay the price more often than not. Another chal-
lenge is the physical environment; do you visualize how a
person in a wheelchair can get to the class if there’s just a
stairway? In Numerous mobile apps are paired with cloud
infrastructure to provide access to advanced information
anywhere; at any time and relevant business and finance
info. Reliable broadband networks are necessary for the
development of the ever-expanding mobile eco-system.
Frost (2016) showed that new technologies and devices
are costly to purchase and require ongoing maintenance
and upkeep. Stimpson (2018) demonstrated how increased
eventually escalated security needs, as portable devices
are vulnerable to security risks, especially if they contain
sensitive or critical business data. Finally, like most techno-
logical discoveries seek to minimize human effort, which
would mean that more work is performed by machinery.
This is similar to less work for people: human beings
are becoming more extinct by the day as systems become
streamlined and workers are being made redundant.
â Security
Frost (2016) studied that security of the accounting infor-
mation in a computerized program is limited to the quality
of the program itself and the company’s security system.
Security is a trade-off, a juggling act between the attacker
and the defender. Unfortunately, this equilibrium is never
static. Technology advances impact both sides. Society is
using new technology to minimize what I call the size
of the defect—what attackers will do—and attackers are
using new technologies to maximize it. What is notewor-
thy is the contrast between how the two classes adopt
emerging technology. The study revealed that a poorly pro-
tected program and database leaves an opening for hackers
or unauthorized personnel to access all of the company’s
financial information. The information may then be used
for malicious purposes that could hurt the company or
the employees if their personal financial information is
accessed. Frost (2016) recommended that in order to avoid
security problems; technology specialists should develop
a security system that protects the accounting informa-
tion from both external hackers and unauthorized internal
access. This typically includes a firewall to stop hackers
and password protection for internal access restriction she
explained further. It is not often argued that criminals can
avoid targets with increased protection, although they will
still find ways to circumvent them. Acting and appearing
‘legitimate’ criminals have been described as a main tool to
prevent identification, even though CCTV and facial recog-
nition have been deployed. Currently, we appear to be
reactive in defense, and only adopt new steps in response

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To Assess the Main Drawbacks of Advanced Technology for the Accounting Sphere 3
to an elevated level of defection. We’re slow to do it and
much slower to get it right.
â Accounting Education
Challenges in accounting education are also related to
developments in accounting education. Character from
one generation to another or commonly recognized as a
younger generation. The younger generation has received
a great deal of recognition for its distinctive traits relative
to previous generations. One of the biggest discrepancies
is that the young are born into a society where technol-
ogy is pervasive. Zhang, Dai and Vasarhelyi (2018) studied
the impact of disruptive technologies on Accounting and
Auditing Education.
â Accounting Software
Accounting Software is designed to automate much of the
accounting process. The purpose is to make accounting
easier, faster and more accurate (Collins, 1999). While the
software does serve its purpose, there are disadvantages to
relying solely upon technology for any business’ account-
ing needs. Crowder studied the disadvantages of Account-
ing Software and found six factors: cost, fraud, additional
software, human error, training and time. If data is not
investigated for accurateness and fullness, the accounting
information produced by software will lead to misconcep-
tion because of all accounting data entered manually. It
is essential for organizations to educate human resources
particularly to access and utilize the accounting software,
which engross massive price and time.
In Kotlicoff’s view (1995) it is difficult to forecast the
future with any degree of accuracy. By holding technology
updated as it progresses, understanding emerging inno-
vations as they arise, and then evaluating their effect on
financial practitioners and others they advise and assist,
accountants will be positioned to reduce burdens and opti-
mize benefits. Through that sense, the occupation will
leverage technologies to eventually broaden the definition
of what it entails to be an accountant. Finance practitioners
need to identify the problems and opportunities posed by
current and evolving technology and also utilize their ana-
lytical and problem-solving capabilities to evaluate their
future effect so that they can have the financial expertise
required to direct any impacted operational and strategic
business decisions.
6 Discussion of Results
The pie charts below show how students and staff have
found information technology teaching to be effective in
their jobs and at the university.
The pie chart above illustrates that (64.3%) felt that
information technology teaching was effective within their
major at the university, while (35.7%) did not and none
Figure 1. Effectiveness of IT teaching within major at the
University.
Figure 2. Effectiveness of IT teaching outside major at the
University.
of them found it extremely effective. The fact that none of
the participants considered information technology teach-
ing to be extremely effective obviously demonstrates that
the university and the companies have struggled to do
so when it comes to IT teaching. Technology is probably
the greatest force influencing today’s learning environ-
ment. Many school and work districts are promoting an
expanded level of technology in schools and workplaces by
supplying hardware such as tablets and laptops, improv-
ing internet access, and introducing initiatives intended to
promote computer literacy for lecturers, students, staff and
employers.
The pie chart above illustrates that (85.7%) felt that
information technology teaching was useful outside their
major at the university; while (14.3%) did not and none of
them found it extremely effective. Early accounts of tech-
nological progress have centered much of their focus on
the provision of computers in lecture halls. Certainly, the
most basic step towards successful development advanced
technology is full coverage to the facilities needed for the
application of technology skills development. If computer
lab time is limited to one hour a week the continued use of
education technology is not practical.
The pie chart above illustrates that (66.7%) of respon-
dents considered information technology teaching to be
very effective within their work environment, while
(16.7%) did not find it effective and the remaining (16.7%)
found it to be extremely effective. The fact that part of
the participants considered IT teaching to be extremely

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4 Teresia Nande and Nikodemus Angula
Figure 3. Effectiveness of IT teaching within the work place.
Figure 4. Experience with technology at the University.
Figure 5. Satisfaction with the available technological resources.
effective at work, which is not the case at the university,
suggests that employers did much better than educa-
tors. The first-order obstacles to effective introduction of
technology into teaching are external considerations for
technology-implementing students. External hurdles need
to be resolved at the institutional level, and improvements
are generally progressive.
The pie charts below demonstrate the percentage of
how students and staff found information technology
teaching at the university to be satisfactory.
The pie chart above indicates that (28.6%) had a neutral
impression that their technological experience at the uni-
versity was satisfactory; (21.4%) were dissatisfied, (7.1%)
were very satisfied, (42.9%) were satisfied and none were
very dissatisfied. The fact that only a limited number of
participants were really pleased with their technical expe-
rience at the university suggests that they were unstable.
Computer connectivity makes it incredibly difficult for
teachers to incorporate technologies into current lessons
schedules.
Figure 6. Satisfaction with the opportunities for profes-
sional advancement.
Figure 7. Create a functioning web page with Microsoft Word.
The pie chart above indicates that (28.6%) had a neutral
impression with the availability of technological resources
for teaching at the university; (14.3%) were dissatisfied,
(7.1%) were very satisfied, (50%) were satisfied and none
were very dissatisfied. Routine access to technology (i.e.
computers or tablets), software solutions (e.g. read and
write software, internet browsers) and internet connectiv-
ity is a key requirement. And with a limited percentage of
learners currently pleased with the available technical tools
at the institution, clearly shows that inconsistent computer
connectivity makes it exceedingly difficult for lecturers
to incorporate advanced technology into current teaching
plans.
The pie chart above indicates that (21.4%) had a neu-
tral impression with the opportunities for professional
advancement at the university; (21.4%) were dissatisfied,
(7.1%) were very satisfied, (50%) were satisfied and none
were very dissatisfied. Students long for opportunities that
appreciate their abilities and allow them to contribute to
the development of their institutions into more successful
centers of learning. In addition, students who may have an
interest in transferring to an executive role will benefit from
avenues that enable them to improve their expertise over
time while also acting as successful workers or employers.
The pie charts below show the percentage of how
accounting students and accountants can use information
technology.

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To Assess the Main Drawbacks of Advanced Technology for the Accounting Sphere 5
Figure 8. Map a network drive to my web folder.
The pie chart above reveals that (21.4%) are basic when
it comes to creating a functional web page with Microsoft
Word, (35.7%) are learners and the majority of the (42.9%)
are proficient. While remarkable recent advances have
been made successful use of education has been made.
Literacy technologies may need more preparation time on
computers than they do.
The pie chart above reveals that (28.6%) are basic to map
a network drive to their web folders, (21.4%) are proficients
and the majority of the (50%) are learners. It is evident from
the majority of learners that the most widely cited expla-
nation for lack of technology in the classroom is lack of
skill learning and instruction. These participants were not
adequately prepared to carry out the task.
7 Conclusion
According to literature analyses the threats of accounting
systems are real, from booking fraudulent purchases to
letting someone hack a backup tape of all the financial
details around it. As several aspects of everyday life, tech-
nologies have changed the manner in which accounting is
done, both for personal accounts and for small and large
firms. Instead of making long tables of paper entries and
doing measurements by hand, technologies have made a
lot of the accounting process automated after the basic data
has been entered. Yet advanced technology is not with-
out drawbacks, and all pros and cons should be weighed
before it is used.
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